Looking for a Breath of Life
by Moustache Bandit
Summary: Iris Sparrow makes a deal with an ancient vampire. It seemed simple to her, she would belong to him if he kept her safe. But things are never so straightforward. With the vampire's memory completely absent, unable to even remember his name, they have one goal with their penniless existence and that is to survive. Godric X OC. Slightly darker Godric.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own True Blood**

_**First things first.**_

**To clarify, the vampire in this chapter is Godric.**

**This story will have a slightly darker version of him, I was aiming for a half way between his kind self in the fellowship and the blood thirsty monster he was as a new born vampire. **

**As Godric has lost his memory he remembers nothing of his life (**_**well, undead existence).**_

**That's the dull bit over with, now let's crack on.**

This night seemed to last forever as the freezing cold wind whips past my shaking body. I curl up on my side and tuck my hands into my chest in a vain attempt to stop the shivers that wrack my small frame. I curse myself for not finding a warmer spot to try and sleep in, at least an alley might have given me some protection from this merciless wind. Currently, I was curled up at the base of a tree in the middle of some random woods with nothing but my thin jacket to use for a blanket. As it was getting closer to April the nights should have been getting warmer, but it was just my luck for them to stay as cold as a nun's libido.

Desperately hoping that I would catch some sleep I squeeze my eyes shut and try my best to ignore the chill. But as hard as I tried I couldn't switch off my highly alert brain, every rustle of leaves or howl of the wind had my eyes snapping open, expecting some form of danger.

In an effort to calm myself I start to hum an old song I used to like, the familiar notes wobble and jump through my shivering throat but I persevere until the creaks and howls of the woods no longer make me jump out of my skin. My head feels heavy as the familiar pull of sleep begins to fog my mind; my breathing becomes heavy whilst my humming becomes deeper, barely audible.

Unnatural screeches fill my ears, the heart wrenching sound was swiftly followed an almighty crack that seemed to shake the woods. I lurch upright at the noise and strain my ears to hear more. Nothing but stillness follows, not a rustle of the leaves or snap of twigs. My heart thumps against my chest so heavily I worried it might break free.

I knew I should have ignored it but worry gnaws at me, if I just forgot about it and forced myself to fall asleep whatever it was could easily sneak up on me. Or perhaps it was a gun shot, it sounded awfully like one, and I didn't want to be in the area with some mad man wielding a gun.

Decisively I push myself to my feet and pull my jacket on, savouring any warmth left in the holy material. My legs shake with cold but I ignore it and force myself to tread carefully in the direction the sound had come from.

Wrapping my jacket tighter around me, I creep forwards into the darkness. I think about shouting 'hello' but I knew it wasn't the smartest thing to do and would only attract attention to myself if it was something bad.

Groans of pain come from my left and I instantly skirt around a few trees to follow the noise, concern and curiosity pulling me towards it stronger than fear could pull me away. The groans become louder as I get closer to the source and I push my legs faster. With only the light of the moon to see by I beat my way through the shrubbery and avoid low hanging branches until I reach the spot between two trees where a boy, (I couldn't really call him a boy, he looked like a late teenager or perhaps early twenties) lies on the dirty ground, his face twisted in pain.

I force a scream that was building back down my and will myself not to run away from the grotesque scene before me.

He lay curled up on his left side, his skin was mutilated by metal. It appeared as if a peculiar metal contraption had clawed its way into his side. His skin was unearthly pale which contrasted greatly to the vast amount of dark red blood coating his bare chest. Some sort of metal machine had torn its way through his left side, smashing blood, flesh and bone.

I saw his fingers weakly try to pull something on the strange metal contraption that was firmly lodged into his side, he hissed sharply as his fingers came into contact with the metal and my eyes widen as smoke spills from his finger tips and red welts begin to form on the skin. Despite the burns he carries on trying to do something to the metal beast that had bit into his torso. A small click takes me by surprise and I glimpse at his face, jumping back in fear when I see two razor sharp fangs.

_Shit. _It's a vampire. _Double shit._

Every day you hear a new story of how vampires are merciless creatures, people tell you that they will kill you without hesitation and violate you in ways that you wouldn't thought possible. I knew many people wanted to see them eradicated from this Earth, especially that cuckoo church in Texas, but I didn't need every vampire to burn in hell to sleep soundly.

However, although I didn't mind their existence, I always kept my distance from them knowing that it was highly possible I could end up hurt if I stayed close to one. Vampires were trouble, I knew better than to get involved.

I should turn and leave him, and although it seemed heartless it was the sensible thing to do.

I force myself to turn away from the horrific mess, but a small voice stops me in my tracks.

"Please." The word was mixed with a groan but I could easily hear the plea.

My gut twists with guilt at the thought of leaving him to suffer but I knew I had to leave, vampires were dangerous.

I hesitate to leave, the vampire looked as if he was in agony and I don't think my consciousness could bare the guilt of leaving him without even attempting to help. Without thinking I kneel down next to him and inspect the mental contraption closer.

It appeared to be some sort of bear trap that had clamped its sharp jaws into the boys side, sickening spikes that covered the jaw like teeth had pierced his flesh. I gag at the sight of scraps of flesh mingling with dirt, blood and shattered chips of bones. The jaw had wounded him from hip to heart, shattering all in its path. I was surprised he was still alive _(well, still undead)_ and guessed that the vicious spikes had narrowly missed his heart.

Eyeing the boy's fingers I realise that he was trying to pull down a leaver that unclamped the trap. Without pausing to think I pull his fingers out of the way, which are cold and give little resistance, and pull the leaver as hard as I could. It wouldn't budge. Worriedly I glance at the boy's face and see a pair of eyes the colour of sea mist staring back at me with a surprising fierceness. He doesn't burst into tears, sob and beg my for help, instead he determinedly pushes my hand out of the way, grabs the leaver and tries to pull, ignoring the burn of the metal on his skin that fills my nostrils with the sickening stench of burnt flesh.

I wrap my hand around his and help him pull, my muscles strain with the effort but the stiff leaver wouldn't move. I see the boy grit his teeth in effort, his sharp fangs slicing on his lower lip. I move closer to put all my weight and strength on to it, the leaver creaks and begins to slide but doesn't move much. With almighty effort the vampire moves his other hand to help push the stubborn leaver. Placing his hand on mine he firmly pushes and I grit my teeth against the pain of his impressive strength crushing my hand. I glimpse at his chest and I see more rivulets of blood bubble up from the gruesome wounds and pour down his side; I was amazed that he still had blood left in him.

The leaver suddenly gives and I fall forwards as the trap flies open with a sickening crunch. I don't have chance to stop myself from falling and horror fills my mind as my face is aimed straight for the open bear trap.

An arm wraps around me and pulls me out of the way of the trap and onto the body of the boy. He groans in pain as I lie across his torn up torso and I quickly, but carefully, pull myself up and away from him and the trap.

Despite his perilous wounds he sits up and grabs the heavy trap, flinging it a few feet away where it viciously snaps shut.

"_The traps been detonated, looks like we got ourselves a fanger to play with!" _

The voice is loud and was followed by a chorus of grizzly cheers. Me and the boy are silent as we listen carefully for more sounds. Heavy footsteps were pounding the earth in a hurried effort to reach the vampire that they thought was caught in their brutal trap. The sounds were in the distance, not just one pair of footsteps but a fair few, too many to count. By the frequent heavy thuds I could tell they were running through the woods to reach this place and damned if I would still be here when they arrived.

"Good luck." I tell the vampire whilst rising to my feet. Without pausing, I start to jog off but his voice catches my attention.

"I can't run, I need blood."

"You can't have mine." I hiss back.

"_What shall we do with this one boss? Can we drink its blood again? Man that makes me feel so fucking good!" _I look towards the direction of the oncoming voices and I knew I had to leave soon.

"You were going to fall on the open trap. What happened to my side would have happened to your head and I would have been able to drink all I wanted of you. But I saved your life and pulled you out of the way." His voice is eerily calm, an unfamiliar accent lacing every word.

"I didn't ask you to pull me out of the way."

"But you are grateful, no?"

With no more time for arguing I run to his side and throw my self onto my knees next to him. He doesn't hesitate to take my wrist in his hands and press it to his mouth. I squeeze my eyes shut as his fangs slide into the soft skin of my wrist and I'm surprised it didn't hurt a great deal.

"_Spread out boys, that fucking fangers around here somewhere."_

The voice wasn't too close but it still scared me to the bone. The boy took long pulls on my wrist and I could feel my blood leaving me rapidly. I look down and notice the left side of his body begin to heal, although it was completely amazing to see skin sew itself back together the whole process was taking far too long for my liking. I look to the vampire's face and see he's deeply engrossed in drinking, his hands holding my arm in a surprisingly strong grip that I wouldn't be able to pull myself from.

I focus on listening out for the oncoming group of vampire hunting men, their footsteps had stopped speeding in our direction and were now more scattered, searching for their trapped vampire. I breathe out a sigh of relief, now that they weren't approaching us so fast maybe I could get out of here before they stormed this place. Being trapped in the middle of the woods with a group of strange men did not appeal to me in the slightest.

Suddenly the vampire stops drinking, pulls his fangs from my arm and looks up at me through feral eyes. His predatory gaze left me no longer worried about the men hunting him down and more worried about the danger of him.

In the blink of an eye he flips us over so my back is pressed against the floor of the woods and he is on top of me with a leg either side of my body, our chests pressed together. Sticks, stones and tree roots dig into my back and make me arch upwards, forcing me to press myself further onto his chest. He grins in a way that I imagine a cat would when they had a mouse trapped between its paws, his mouth smeared with my blood and he raises his hand to stroke the curve of my jaw with the back of one bloody finger. I flinch away and try to beat him off, but this only results in him gathering my wrists in on hand and pinning them above my head with his inhuman strength. With the other hand he covers my mouth so no sound can escape me and leans down to hover his mouth over my neck, his nose skimming the flesh before plunging his fangs into me.

My scream is muffled by his palm, I try to fight but his firm grip on my wrists doesn't loosen and all I manage is to wiggle underneath him which causes him to moan in pleasure. It was useless; nothing I did could move this boy as he slurped on my blood, occasionally grunting in satisfaction. My mind was beginning to fog with dizziness and felt heavy, a deep desire to sleep reined over me, still I resist the urge and carry on fighting but my efforts are weak and gain no benefit.

Finally he slides his fangs out of my neck and releases my hands whilst leaning back on his heels to straddle my waist. Angry that he had taken advantage my hand flies out and slaps him round the face, the effort was weak and couldn't possibly harm him but I felt better for doing it.

He gives me an unimpressed look and clicks his fangs back into his gums whilst standing up and off me, not offering to help me up. Such a gentleman.

I sit up and go to rise to my feet but my head spins wildly and I fall back down to ground.

"_It's over here!"_ One of the hunting party's men shouts out and my eyes widen at the closeness of his voice, in fact he was so close I could vaguely make out his silhouette standing beside a bent over tree.

I turn to the vampire but he had already left, disappeared into the darkness to leave me with the ready to kill vampire hunters, and I had just released their precious prey.

**AN: A new idea that I thought was a little different, let me know your thoughts of it. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own True Blood.**

Six men come charging through bushes, their feet stamping on the ground making it tremor. My breath catches in my throat with fear and I sluggishly scramble backwards, my limbs felt heavy and tired but fear kept them moving. I manage to pull myself behind a particularly thick tree before the men burst into the small clearing where the vampire boy had been trapped.

I dare to peek around the rough bark to see a wiry man with a pot belly clutch a gun to his chest. His beady eyes scanned the area and narrowed into pure hatred when he saw the trap was empty.

"God damn it!" He yelled whilst throwing his gun to the ground, the other men behind him grunt in disappointment whilst lowering their guns.

"What do you think set it off?" One bald man with a snake tattoo running up his face asks.

"Probably a squirrel or bug or something…" A smaller man drawls.

"You dumb shit, only something big and heavy can set it off." The man with the snake tattoo kicks the 'dumb shit' in the chest and the he was barely able to stay standing from the force of the kick.

"Quite!" The boss shouts whilst inspecting the trap closely. "The traps covered in blood, the fanger must have gotten out somehow."

Then men shut up and grasp their guns more firmly, look around nervously. Snake Tattoo holds his chin high and scowls into the darkness, searching for the vampire. I keep quiet and try to sink into the tree, hoping that they won't scout the area.

I no longer watch, not risking them seeing me peeking around the tree. I carry on listening as they scuttle around the small clearing, inspecting the area whilst making comments.

"Fuck me! There's vampire blood covering this place. Boss, this is just going to go to waste, can we…" He trails off, leaving his sentence unanswered but I knew what he wanted. V was a pricey and addictive drug, sellers of the stuff made fortunes and the users often wound up spending every penny they had just for a few drops of the illegal drug.

"Looks like the fucker got away. Tuck in a boy."

I once more dare to peek my nose around the tree I was hiding behind to watch, pressing my face as close as I could to the rough bark so I'm not spotted.

The men were crouching around the spot the vampire boy had been lying, it was too dark to make out specific features but I could see that each wore grimy, old clothing. The men ran their fingers along the woods floor, their hands becoming coated in blood and dirt. They then raised their filthy fingers to their mouths and sucked on them, making sure they got every speck of V they could. They groaned in pleasure as soon as the blood touched their tongue. Disgusted, I move my head back behind the tree and hope they leave soon.

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck." One man chants over and over in pleasured groans.

"This makes me feel so fucking alive."

"Phil, rubbing yourself while you're surrounded by men is gay."

I was mortified at what I heard and I curl myself into a smaller ball, trying to stop the chill that was starting to set into my body. I lift my leg up a little to bring it closer to my body but as I realise I couldn't I place it down again and my ankle presses against a small twig that snaps loudly.

The sound seemed to echo through the woods and the men on the other side of the tree fall silent. My heart beats wildly in fear and I find it hard to breathe, my breath having to be forced in and out of my lungs. The men are silent but I don't move, a few seconds go by and I strain my ears for any noise but only the howl of the wind and natural rustles of the forest could be heard. For a moment I think the men have gone, maybe they thought it was the vampire and quietly shuffled off?

As soon as I finish the thought a hand wraps around my long red hair and drags me out from behind the tree. Pain explodes in my head as my hair feels like it's being ripped from the roots. I scream and claw at the man's hands but he doesn't even flinch and just proceeds to drag me across the ground.

Suddenly he drops my hair and I fall to the ground, breathing heavily whilst trying to push myself up. A heavy boot kicks at my arms and I fall down again, landing face first into the ground.

"Well what is this?" The boss sneers. Using the toe of his boot he flips me over on to my back, I don't resist in fear he'll stamps on me if I did.

Facing upwards I see the six strange men towering above me, all standing around my body, making me feel extremely vulnerable. This close I could tell there were a variety of ages, the boss was the oldest, with a thick, messy beard and a heavily creased face. Many of the others looked middle aged with grotesque unwashed and greasy skin, one younger man sneered at me revealing his bare mouth with only one crooked tooth jutting out from the flesh of his gums.

"You help our fanger escape?" The boss of the group growls threateningly.

I'm frozen with fear and can't respond, I just stare at them with wide eyes. With a frustrated growl he leans down so his face is level with mine, he's so close that I can smell the stench of his breath.

"I said, did you fucking help _our_ fanger!?" He screams.

I cringe back, shaking my head. He straightens up whilst snickering darkly.

"You see, I think you're lying. And me and my boys don't like filthy little liars like you." He gestures to the other men and they sneer at me. Shivers wrack my body and I doubted it had anything to do with the cold.

"So I think you should say sorry and _personally_ make it up to each and every one of us. What do you think lads?" The men cheer and look down to eye me lustfully, their gaze slowly assessing my body.

"No." I squeak out. "Please, I'm s-s-sorry." They ignore me, Snake Tattoo grabs my arms and hauls me up. I try to pull back and kick at his knees but I might as well of kicked a rock for all the good it did.

He rips my coat away from my body and untangles my scarf from around my neck, throwing them off in a random direction. I start to feel sick, my stomach churning in terror and disgust. He then jerks my jumper off me whilst leering suggestively and I'm left in a thin camisole, the wind bites my exposed flesh but I felt numb. I still had my shabby jeans and thin top on but I felt naked under their collective stares. Suddenly I'm pulled by the arm and yanked towards another man, he hauls me up against his bony chest and I come face to face with a crooked tooth. I scream and try to pull back, but he just cackles whilst wrapping an arm around me and pulls me closer, until I could feel his hard on pressing against my leg. I attempt to fight against him but I'm too weak, that damn vampire had taken too much blood from me, leaving me fragile and vulnerable. Anger starts to boil in me, with my free hand I swing it back to slap the man in the face, but another one of the six grabs my hand and holds it still before I can hit him. I'm horrified when he pulls my hand closer to him and starts to lick my fingers, which I now realised, were covered in the vampire's blood, his tongue leaves cold, sloppy trails of saliva on my hand. Disgusted I try to jerk my arm away from him, but his grip tightens and I feel my arm throb painfully.

"You fuckers let her go." The boss of the group shouts and I feel a burst of gratitude and relief flash through me. "I get her first, then you can wreck her in your own sick ways."

I didn't think it was possible but my heart races faster in fear and my head swims until I'm on the verge of passing out as I'm shoved roughly to the ground. I squeeze my eyes shut to let the violent spinning slow down, I try to keep consciousness as I knew that if I passed out here then I would be trapped with them, vulnerable to every sick and twisted desire these fuckers had. If I kept myself awake, no matter how bad the situation became, I would always be able to run away if a chance of escape presented itself.

By that same irksome boot I'm flipped on to my back again, I groan and open my eyes. The boss is stood near my feet, he licks his lips as his fingers fumbled with the zipper on his trousers.

"Bitch, you fucking deserve this. You're gonna worship me and my cock. If you don't, I'll start slicing those pretty little fingers off."

I scream and lurch backwards, using my arms to propel myself away from the vulgar boss. The other men grab me and wrestle me back down to the ground, holding me still.

"No!" I scream. "Please don't, please." I beg but my pleas fall on deaf ears. Tears stream down my eyes and drip off my face, but I can't move my hand to swipe the open show of weakness away.

"There's no getting away from me slut."

Moving closer, the boss kneels down between my held down legs. He places his hands on my thighs and digs his fingers in, his grip was painful and I was sure it would leave bruises. He leaves one hand on my thigh, painfully massaging it, whilst the other fiddles with the button of my jeans. He lewdly whispers every despicable act his going to do to me, I shiver in horror and try to ignore him but he doesn't stop the string of horrific notions.

He manages to un-hook my button and slowly unzips my jeans. I whimper and I look away, unable to bear to watch the violation. I look up to the tree tops and watch the harsh wind blows the leaves, all desperately clinging on to their branches.

I squint in confusion when I see a bare foot balancing on a thick branch, the foot is then joined by another to make a pair. I couldn't see the body that belonged to the feet as the bush of the leaves was too thick to see through. The feet carefully step along the branch until they reach the end, then hops onto another one and walks across it with ease until they are right above me. The footsteps still and a pale hand reaches out to grab a lower branch, with a graceful swing I see the vampire boy from earlier land on a lower branch and crouch low, curiously looking down at me.

My mind racks for a way to make the vampire help me, although vampires aren't known for their acts of kindness I could at least take a shot and hope he would help.

My mouth forms one word, and I prayed to God the boy would listen.

"Please." I whisper it so quietly I barely hear it myself.

It was the first word he had said to me, asking for my help and I had given it. Hopefully he would return the favour. The vampire stares blankly back at me, his expression portraying nothing. He then looks to the other men, the ones holding me down, restraining me from fighting and he frowns. Moving his gaze to the boss of the group, he sees the scraggy man struggling to pull down my tight jeans, filthy hands clutching the worn fabric tightly as he swore over and over at them. The vampires eyes narrow, I wasn't sure if it was in disgust or anger, and he swings down from the tree branch, landing silently behind the boss.

**AN: Let me know your thoughts x**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer : I do not own True Blood. But I do own Iris Sparrow.**

The other men gasp and gawp at the sight of the bloodied boy whose fangs glinted dangerously in the moonlight. Their grips begin to loosen and I keep still, waiting for them to let go so I can take my chance to run. The boss, completely unaware of the danger he was in, gives another tug on my jeans and violently curses when they don't give. Deciding to throw himself on me instead, he forces his body onto mine and I feel disgust and fear swell through me as he presses himself heavily against me. He thrusts his lips towards me, his vulgar grin was marred by blackened teeth.

"Remember what I said, pretty girl, I'll cut you if you even think of refusing me." He whispers harshly, his breath reeking of stale alcohol.

And with that he leans forward, I try to pull backwards but he pushes me to the ground so I can't escape. I twist my head to the side but he forcefully turns it back and gnashes his teeth at me in warning. He leans down again and this time I have no way of stopping him, panic burst through me and fearful tears well to my eyes.

Before his grubby lips can touch mine a hand wraps around his neck and effortlessly pulls the vile man away from me. The men all stagger back in fear, letting go of my arms and legs. I gasp and curl up into a ball, too scared to run away. The vampire, who was shorter than the boss, held the scrawny man in the air by the neck with ease and looks at him with disgust, like he was nothing more than an irksome cockroach.

As easily as a child would toss their toys aside, the vampire hurls the sorry excuse for a man away from him. His body sails through the air like a rag doll until it hits the tree with a sickening crunch. The vampire eyes the other men with a hard expression, one of the men whimpers under his harsh gaze and I see them edge slowly backwards. The noise of a groan draws our attention back to the body slumped at the base of a tree, the boss kneels on shaking knees and cradles his arm.

"My arm! That fucker broke my arm!" He accuses whilst pointing a shaking finger at the vampire.

"Watch where you point that finger before I bite it off." He bares his fangs at him to highlight his point.

The vampire turns back to the other men who were now cowering behind me, feebly hoping he would take me first. "Do not move. This is your only warning." He tells them, I expected his voice to be a growl but it was soft. Yet there was an undercurrent of power which ran through his words.

I watch the vampire out of the corner of my eye, he raises his hands and unwraps some fabric from around his neck. I realised it was my scarf that Snake Tattoo had ripped off me earlier then thrown aside, I wondered what he was doing with it.

He takes a few steps towards me, his movements were graceful but unmistakably strong as he kneels in front of me. His face is smooth, unblemished with emotion and this close I realise that he had a tattoo strung across his collar. Before I can properly examine it he brings his hands up, with my scarf still clutched between his fingers, and wraps the soft fabric around my eyes, blinding me to the world.

"What…?" I ask, completely confused to why he was blindfolding me. His arms encircle my head to reach the back and knot the fabric. As his did this I could sense that his naked chest was only inches away from me. I kick myself for thinking such irrelevant thoughts.

"I do not wish for you to watch." He confesses as he ties a strong knot that I wouldn't be able to undo. He tugs at the makeshift blindfold briefly, making sure he was satisfied with his work.

"Watch what…?" I ask, my question coming out breathless and confused, sounding far too innocent for my liking.

He doesn't respond and instead just clasps a hand on my shoulder and squeezes it reassuringly. The gesture calms me a little and I impulsively grab his hand, seeking any comfort I could get. I was embarrassed for acting weak and being so openly vulnerable but I was terrified and just needed _something._

To my surprise, he wraps his fingers around my small hand and holds it strongly. His hand was cold but I didn't mind. I could feel myself starting to fall apart at the seams but this small and kind gesture somehow helped me keep together.

"It is my fault you were treated this way by them, I will make amends." He gently tugs on my makeshift blindfold to highlight it. "But I doubt you would want to see this. I'll be as quite as I can."

And with this he releases my hand and addresses the six pathetic excuses for human beings.

"Do you think you would get away with attempting to trap me?" I hear the menace in his voice and the men begin to argue.

The woods was then filled with the sounds of pleads. The men beg for the vampire to spare their lives, pathetically offering him money, apparently their takings on trapping vampires had made them quite wealthy. The vampire was less than impressed, I could tell by the way he growled at them and I could only imagine how threatening he looked.

"S-s-shit! His trying to do that glamouring thing. Don't fucking look him in the eye. He'll hypnotise us." One of the men gibber.

I guessed they all failed at avoiding eye contact as the next thing I hear is the vampire commanding something, slowly enunciating each word with perfect clarity.

"You will not make a sound, not one noise will leave your lips. Understand?"

"Yeah." The men chorus back, it was odd hearing their voices completely flat under the vampire's control.

"Good." Was all the vampire replied before silence falls on the woods. I strain my ears but as he had promised, I could hear nothing happening. For a few seconds it was like I had been completely abandoned in the woods.

I was startled to hear the sudden thump of boots on the ground, feet pounded the forest floor in a frantic hurry to flee the area. Twigs snapped under the heavy feet and it was easy to tell the men had run into the woods in hopes of getting away. I wondered if the vampire had done anything to them, what was it that he didn't want me to see?

Although the vampire had commanded them not too, one man let out an agonized cry. His wail pierced through my ears and I was surprised by its closeness.

I desperately wanted to know what was happening so with trembling fingers I pull at the tight knot of the makeshift blindfold. The taunt material wouldn't come loose so I grip the scarf tighter and pull with all my might. Nothing. I stop trying to pull and feel the knot with my fingers, I don't recognise the knot and guessed it was a complicated one that had a special way of unfastening.

A curious sound stops me from my struggle with the blindfold. It was hard to describe, sort of like a wet crunch with snaps and a ripping noise all mixed together. It was soon followed by a heavy thump which I presumed was someone falling to the ground. This peculiar sound was repeated several times, each more awful then the last.

My mind starts to think frantically, had he killed them? Those men were horrid and completely twisted but I didn't wish them dead. Punished but not dead. The many people in my life who told me vampires were dangerous kept flashing through my head, social workers, friends, old crowns I had met on the streets. Each had warned me that vampires were frightening stuff and I should have listened.

I felt dizzy and sick, no longer caring about the muddy ground, I lie down on my side in an effort to still my spinning head. I gave up caring about the blindfold wrapped tightly around my eyes and was even slightly thankful for the blackout, even the thought of light made me feel more sick. I hear one last crunch and have to choke down bile that tries to force its way up my throat.

Crudely, part of a song drifts through my head, _Another one bites the dust…_

A silence falls on the woods, the only sound that could be heard was the rustle of the leaves being violently blown by the wind. Shivering, I count to ten in my head but no sounds could be heard. I wanted to run away, find a tree to curl up under and pretend this whole night never happened. Unfortunately I was stuck with a blindfold that I could not remove myself. I feared that the vampire had left without taking the damn scarf off from around my eyes and a curse escapes my lips.

I try tugging at the scarf again but it would not come loose, I was stuck this way until I found something to cut the damn material off. Back at the base of the tree that I had tried to sleep under earlier was my bag and I knew I had a small knife stashed in there. It wasn't all that far away but I wasn't sure I could navigate my way back without my sight. However having no other option I stand on two unsteady feet and start edging my way into a direction that I thought I had come in. With my hands spread out in front of me, feeling for any obstacles that I could potentially bump into, I walk forward. After a few shaky steps my fingers brush against the trunk of a tree so I dodge my way around it and end up tripping on a tree root, sending me sprawling to the floor.

Not easily put off I rise to my feet again and persevere forwards, this time carefully sliding my feet forwards instead of clumping my way through. A small spark of hope rises in me and I think this could actually work.

After what feels like hours, though in reality it had been 10 minutes, I let out a frustrated growl as I once again trip over another low branch. The sneaky trees seemed to be intentionally tripping me up.

Huffing I settle down on the floor and tear at the nuisance wrapped around my head. With my anger fuelling my strength I use all of my power to pull the blindfold off, the material digging so far into my flesh that I thought I would have the material imprinted on my skin for a whole year.

Nothing. I can't even peek out of the scarf. The vampire had skilfully placed it just so that I couldn't even move the material at the front out of the way.

"Useless dead fanger." I grumble and scowl at nothing in particular.

A quite chuckle floats to my ears which makes me freeze in my place. _Was that…?_

"Where are you going?"

I yelp and nearly jump out of my skin. The vampire's voice was inches away from my face. Anger begins to boil in me. If it wasn't for him I would never have been in _that_ predicament which had terrified me to the bone. And he had killed those men, lives which were not his to take, no matter how awful they were.

"Away from you." I say sharply and rise to my feet. I start walking in the other direction only to be stopped by a hand grabbing the back of my thin camisole and pulling me backwards.

"Tree." Is all he says, I raise my hand in front of me and my fingers skim over rough bark. I growl in annoyance that he was right.

"How long have you been following me?" I ask.

"Since you first tripped over a tree root." I could hear the smirk in his voice and I felt my cheeks darkening with a blush.

With anger and embarrassment fuelling my actions, I ask him sharply. "Did you kill them all?"

Without giving him time to answer, I carry on speaking. "You shouldn't have killed them." I say angrily. "They may have been complete jack asses and horribly twisted but you can't just decide to kill a person."

"I didn't kill them." He says bluntly and my anger diminishes.

"Oh." Suddenly I felt awful for accusing him, he had only tried to help me and I was screaming like a banshee at him.

"They had done it before, recently in fact. Taken a girl like you and abused her in unimaginable ways, I could smell the evidence all over them." His voice was too indifferent on the subject, so casual with only a trace of sympathy for the girl.

"So what did you do to them?" I ask, my voice a quite whisper.

"I removed a part of them that assured they could never hand out _that_ kind of abuse again. They are no longer men."

It takes a second for me to realise what he meant. He had ripped off their…

I feel the bile rise in my throat again but I forced it back down. That agonized scream, it had been full of terror and pain and now I knew why. I couldn't condone such horrific acts of violence, those men's lives would never be the same.

As I think this, I come to contemplate what their lives truly consisted off. Trapping vampires to drain them, then drinking their blood and selling the rest to horribly desperate addicts. Whilst taking girls to use and abuse them in truly vile and vulgar ways. I had known them a mere hour but I knew I hated them. Perhaps it was wrong to think this but deep down, I had no qualms with what the vampire inflicted on them.

"Listen, I'm sorry you were caught in that god-awful trap and I'm glad you got out of it in one piece, despite taking a little too much of my blood." I would glare at him if I could. "But I need to leave, it's already a cold night and it's going to get colder. I want to be fast asleep by then, I hate feeling the cold truly bite through you to the bone." I was rambling and needed to get to the point faster. I wanted to find my jumper, coat and bag before I settled down for the night.

The vampire makes no sound, I wasn't even sure if he was still here. I raise my hands a little, stretching them out in front of me only to have them bump into the hard flesh of his stomach. I pull my hands back, embarrassed to have touched his naked chest.

He still doesn't speak so I prompt him to move. "So if you could take off the blindfold I'll be on my way."

"If I said no, what would you do?" There's an edge of curiosity to his voice.

"Blindly find my bag. I'll most likely trip over every branch, root and rock on the way but cursing you every step of the way will keep me happy."

"No doubt it would." He returns. I feel him moving the knot, easily tugging on the fabric until it comes lose and falls down my face. He wraps the flimsy material around my neck. I blink my eyes but I can barely see anything in the darkness, I had wondered into part of the woods that was covered by thick trees, stopping the moonlight from lighting the woods.

I could see the outline of the vampire in front of my and the shadow of features on his face but nothing was clear, he stood close and I noticed he was taller than me by several inches.

"Thank you." I tell him sincerely. "For helping me."

Deciding that there was no point in lingering, I walk past him and back the way I came to retrieve my coat and jumper. I walk as fast as I can but I have to keep squinting in the darkness and treading carefully to avoid bushes and thick branches on the floor. A noise catches my attention from behind me and I turn around to see the vampire closely following behind me.

"What are you doing?" I ask him.

"Following you." Is all he replies. I roll my eyes and carry on moving forwards, hopefully he would get bored soon and follow some other poor soul.

I make it back to the ominous clearing and I hurriedly begin searching for my coat and jumper. I start to push my way through the shrubbery in the direction Snake Tattoo had thrown them in, nettles snag on my jeans and tears more holes in them. Before I can get far, soft and familiar fabric is pulled over my head. In a typical knee jerk reaction I lift my arms into the jumper and slide it on. My coat is swiftly thrust onto my arms and over my shoulders, then buttoned with lightning speed in front of me.

The vampire gives me a smug grin, I was too tired to be angry at him for following me and I appreciated the gesture. Without a word I turn around and start walking off again, this time heading back to the tree I had first been trying to rest under. After a few steps I knew the boy had started following me again so I call over my shoulder.

"If you're going to stalk me regardless of what I say, then you can at least keep me company and walk by my side."

He gives me a funny look, his eye brows furrowing in confusion.

"It's your choice." I shrug and carry on walking, trudging through the foliage which crunches and snaps beneath my feet.

Soon I'm joined by the pale boy whose tread is impossibly silent next to mine. We walk in silence through the woods, listening to the sounds of bugs and the occasional twoot of an owl.

"Why did you help me?" He asks out of the blue, the question takes me by surprise and I was unsure of how to answer.

"Because you had asked for my help." I tell him, eerily remembering the hollow plead of his whispered 'please'.

He just nods and stays silent again. I eye him out of the corner of my eye, he had a contemplative look on his face and I was curious to what he was thinking.

Before I could question him on his thoughts I spotted my rucksack leaning against a tree root. I rush forwards to it and instantly check the contents. I sigh in relief when I realise what little I had was still there. I yawn loudly, feeling exhausted from the shock of the evening, having little blood left in me because of a certain vampire and almost being… I couldn't even think about it. Shuddering and shaking my head I zip my bag up again and sit up against the tree.

"You're entirely alone." His words were blunt and stung a little.

"I like it that way." My voice is small despite my efforts to make it sound more firm.

"Would anyone notice if you went missing?" I open my jaw in surprise, _was he seriously rubbing my solitude in my face?_

I don't answer him and just glare for being so rude. He just grins mischievously and sits in front of me, his knees intentionally knocking against mine.

"I take that as a no." He reaches out his hand and grasps my chin, raising it so he could see his bite marks on my neck. I try to pull away from him but his grip was too strong so I settle for glaring at him some more.

"I want to propose a deal."

He loosens his grip on my chin and I pull away, scooting backwards to create some distance between us.

"What kind of deal?" I eye him sceptically.

"You will be mine."

"You can't just decide to own a person." I quip back.

Cross for being interrupted, he places his hand over my mouth, his fingers were cold against my warm lips and I resisted the childish urge to lick his fingers to get him to move. I stare at him, his face portraying nothing but pure determination.

"You will be mine, your blood, your body, your mind, all solely owned by me. And in return I will keep you safe from trouble and help you stay alive, something which you sorely seem to struggle with."

I should be terrified, people owned by vampires usually end up drained and dead but all I could think about was how pissed I was to be called helpless and weak.

I try to shove his hand away from my lips but I couldn't even move it an inch, his wrist felt cold beneath my fingers. Grunting angrily I let go of him and look away.

"Have I offended you that much?" He asks whilst moving his hand away from my mouth.

"I can take care of myself, I have done since I was a kid. Now that I have no home it might be harder but I can still manage." I snap at him.

"Perhaps you can, but maybe your life would be easier if I owned you. One week is what I'm offering, for a week the deal would be in place. We'll stick together, I'll help you live a little easier and all I'm asking in return is _you_."

One week. One week of being owned by vampire. _What's the worst that could happen?_

"Deal."

**AN: I got such a great response from this fanfic I decided to write a long chapter, your reviews were charming and encouraging. Let me know what you think x**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own True Blood.**

**For all my American readers, I'm English, so if some of the spelling seems off to you, then it might be because we spell some words differently. Try and enjoy the story regardless. Hope you like it.**

We had been walking silently through the trees ever since the vampire had told me that we were leaving for someplace else. No explanation, no asking kindly, just a few simple words and he expected me to follow him without question.

Of course I had begun to argue.

In the end he had thrown my bag over his shoulder and started to walk away. Growling, I had ran after him, I needed that bag and the bastard knew it.

It had been about an hour since then and the cold was seriously starting to bite through me, the night wasn't particularly chilly but the wind seemed to make it feel icy. I curl my arms into my chest in hopes of savouring some warmth and glare daggers into the back of Mr I-don't-feel-the-damn-cold-because-I'm-technically-dead. He was walking far ahead of me and I open my mouth to call him but then close it again. I didn't know his name. I had agreed to belong to this vampire and I didn't even know his name. Real smart.

I was stuck with how to call him. Shouting 'oi you' didn't seem to be the politest thing to do. Perhaps I should just shout 'vampire' but I didn't think that was too polite either. I had spoken to this one girl who was owned by a vampire once, she said she called her vampire 'mistress' and never by name.

I pull a face, there was no way in hell I was calling this dead guy 'master', I would never be able to live it down.

"Vampire guy thingy!" Vampire guy thingy? Vampire guy thingy?! That was the best I could have come up with? I wanted to bang my head against the tree, I should have stuck to 'oi you'.

The vampire turns around with raised eyebrows, I felt like such an idiot under his gaze but I persevered and asked. "So are we close to wherever we're going?"

He nods and turns back around, carrying on with his fast pace. Sighing angrily I push my feet forwards and catch up with him, attempting to match his pace. We carry on walking for a few minutes until he places a hand on my arm to stop me. I halt and look around but nothing about this part of the woods seemed to be anything special.

I watch curiously as the vampire crouches down and runs his hands over the ground. I was completely confused by what he was doing. He wraps his hand around something and pulls and I'm surprised when I see him opening a hidden trap door. He lets go of the hidden door handle and jumps straight into the hole it created. I stare down the dark shaft nervously.

"Jump." The vampires voice drifted up from the dark hole.

"What? I'm not just going to jump into a hole." I hiss back.

"Don't worry, I'll catch you." Somehow I didn't feel reassured. "You have 5 seconds before I come up and drag you down here myself. And if I accidentally bite you in the process…" He drifts off but I knew what he meant. If he had to come up here for me I'd be his dinner and I hated the dizzy feeling. I was already light-headed from losing all the blood he took earlier, if he took any more it would be ten times worse.

"Alright, alright. I'll jump." I shout.

I take a deep breath and before I can hesitate I let myself fall through the hole. The air whips past my face and body and panic bubbles in the pit of my stomach. But before I could freak out strong arms scoop me up before I hit the ground and place me back on my feet.

"Thank you." I tell him and look around. I could barely see in the dark hole so I grab my backpack off him and dig through it until I find my old torch. It flickers as I turn it on but eventually a steady beam of light illuminates the hole.

This actually was a hole in the ground, the walls were just mud, rocks and tree roots. There was a small tunnel behind the vampire and he starts to make his way down it. I follow him down the narrow tunnel and try to avoid hanging vines and the mud dripping from the ceiling. The vampire pushes something forwards and reveals a hidden room behind what must have been a makeshift door. It wasn't a big room and he had barely anything in it but it was surprisingly warmer then outside and, of course, there was no freezing wind down here. The walls were covered in wooden planks and dry mud practically coated the place, in the corner there was a huge tree stump that had appeared to have been ripped out of the ground, a variety of candles were on stump and the vampire walks forward to light them.

For a second I shine a light on the vampire and take in the sight of him. He wore a pair of tan three quarter lengths and that was it. His chest was bare and so were his feet, blood covered the left side of his chest where the vampire bear trap had chewed through his side. He was also smeared with dried dirt, it covered the contours of the muscles on his back and my gaze lingered. Despite all of the filth, it didn't mar his beauty and only enhanced the ferocious hunter look about him. You couldn't help but feel like prey in his presence.

As if he sensed my gaze, he looks over his shoulder towards me.

"Go and close the trap door." He orders.

My mouth hangs open, he wanted me to go and close the door at the top of the hole. How? I'm sure I didn't see a ladder to get up there. He couldn't be serious

"But it's so high up." I begin to protest but the vicious look in his eye stops me.

"Go." He commands, the tone of his voice held a fierceness that I couldn't ignore. I quickly run back up the tunnel and stand in the small opening at the bottom of the hole.

I look up to see how far up the open doors were, it wasn't a terrible long distance. I examined the walls again but more thoroughly this time, I pulled on some of the tree roots and rocks to make sure they were sturdy and I was relived to find that they were. This meant I would be able to climb up, close the door and hopefully climb back down.

I check the walls for the best root up before I begin my climb. I take off my coat and scarf, knowing that the jacket would way me down and the scarf would snag on every rock. This couldn't be that hard, I just need to avoid looking down. I place my torch on the ground so the beam was facing up wards and lighting up the whole hole. Without further ado I grabbed onto a thick rock and started pulling myself up, I found footholds easily and propelled myself upwards, grabbing only onto the sturdiest looking rocks. Dirt smeared my front as I slowly started to climb the wall of the hole, my stomach occasionally scraps against a sharp stone but I don't let it put me off. I sometimes had no other choice but to grab onto a less sturdy root and silently prayed to God that it would hold my weight.

I was over half way and I grinned at my partial success, I believed I could make it and although my muscles were screaming at me in protest I push myself upwards towards the top. A snapped tree root catches my stomach, the sharp edge digging into the soft flesh. The pain makes me falter and my grip slips on the rock I was holding, I yelp whilst holding on desperately with my right hand, my left frantically trying to find something sturdy to grab onto, my panicked fingers slip over ever rock and I couldn't seem to get a grip. The weight was starting to become too much for my right arm to bear and it starts to shake violently with the pressure. I grit my teeth and lurch my left hand up and grab onto a thick rock above me. Using all my strength I pull myself up and my feet find footholds again.

I lean against the wall heavily, panting in exertion whilst my heart beats wildly against my chest. I knew if I didn't start climbing again I would lose my nerve so I push myself forwards and slowly make my way to the opening of the hole. As I reach it I quickly grab the open door and slam it shut. Sighing in relief, I start to make my way down the wall quickly, wanting desperately to stand on steady ground again.

Unfortunately, in my haste I grab a dry, dead root that crumbles in my hand. I have a brief second to look at it in horror before my body falls. I was still holding on with my right hand but my weight was too much for it this time and my grip slips from the rock.

Panic freezes my mind as I fall, there was no way I could stop this and I knew I would be seriously hurt from falling at this height. I squeeze my eyes shut but the pain never comes and instead I'm wrapped up in a pair of arms again. I dare to open my eyes and look up to see the vampires face looking down at my filthy one, I couldn't quite make out his expression, it was a strange mix of pride and amusement.

"Humans are too lazy and disrespectful, how many other girls your age would have climbed the wall? How many would have just thrown a tantrum?" He tells me and I realise why he had told me to close the door, it was a test.

Without putting me down he walks steadily down the tunnel and back into the small room, he puts me down leaning on one of the walls and I rest against it heavily. I was now completely exhausted and all I wanted to do was sleep, unfortunately the vampire had other ideas and sat so close beside me that I could feel his body pressed to the side of mine.

No longer caring that he was a complete stranger, I lean my head against his shoulder. Surprisingly he lifts up his arm and I melt into the side of him, burying my head into the crook of his neck.

"What's your name?" I lazily ask him.

"I don't have one." This takes me by surprise. I try to lean back to stare at him incredulously but I couldn't move out of his grip.

"Everyone has a name, you must have one." I tell him.

For a moment he is silent and just stares at the flickering candles in the corner of the room.

"I woke up a month ago in the middle of a parking lot with no memories. Everything is blank before that, even my name." For the first time, he sounded unsure of himself. I knew it was stupid, he was a vampire he could take care of himself, but my heart went out to him a little.

"Did you have anything on you? Any clues to who you were or where you lived?"

"No, nothing."

It must be awful not knowing who you were, not even a name. "Have you thought of going to the police station? Surely they'll be able to help find out who you are."

He shakes his head. "To make a vampire forget their past there has to be magic involved, we can't become brain damaged the way you humans can. Whoever put this curse on me might be waiting for me to return. If I find my way back to where I am from then what's to stop the ones who've cursed me tricking me into trusting them? They must have done this," He taps his head, "for a reason, to make me weak, vulnerable. I will not walk into their trap."

"Okay." I say slowly, my mind ticking on how I could help. "Is it just memories or knowledge on how to do things too?" He looks at me strangely. "Like, can you still drive a car? Do you know what an IPod is? How to bake a pie?"

"In the month I have tried to drive, I acted on instinct and found I could drive the vehicle perfectly. An IPod is a device in which music is stored and played on. And as for the pie, I have no idea how I would even begin to bake one but I suspect I never did know that." I wanted to slap my forehead for being so stupid, why on earth would a vampire need to learn how to bake a pie?

"Okay, so it seems to just be specific memories to your past. Why would someone want to erase that?" He shrugs casually but I guessed this question had been eating at him since he'd woken up in that parking lot.

"What about you?" He suddenly asks. "I have no home because I do not remember any, why do you not have one?"

I sigh and reluctantly tell him a brief overview of my life. "I've been in and out of care homes since I was six. When a kid in care doesn't get adopted by the time they're 16 they have to leave the care home and make their own way. I struggled to make it and ended up living in a rundown apartment with six others who barely spoke to me." I pause in my story, I didn't want to tell him the next bit, it still scared me and I knew I would forever be on the run because of what happened. "Well, something happened and I just can't go back there. I left with just this backpack and $20 in my pocket, that was 2 weeks ago."

"What happened on-" He begins to ask but I cut him off.

"I can't just keep calling you 'the vampire' forever, we need a name for you."

"What would you suggest?"

I look around the room for inspiration.

"What about the name Mud?" He raises his eye brows at me and doesn't look impressed.

"Okay, that was a bad idea but since I found you in the woods, it has to be woodsy." I decide

"Your logic is seriously flawed." He accuses but sounded amused. I shush him as I think of names of things in the woods.

"Leaf? Bark? Moss? Branch? Sap? Oak?-" He cuts me off.

"Nothing to do with trees."

"Okay, how about Slug? Or we could call you Termite?"

"No." He sounded irritated.

"Wolf?" He wrinkles his nose in disgust.

"What about the name of a bird. Crow? Eagle? Hawk? Blue tit?"

"Blue Tit? You are truly suggesting that?" I laugh softly, and quietly think for a while of what his name could actually be. I wondered what it was before he had forgotten and what his undead life was like, would anyone be looking for him? In the dimly lit room I vaguely could make out that tattoo strung across his collar. I raise my hand to his chest and lightly trace the dark lines with my finger. The vampire doesn't move a muscle, seemingly as still as a statue but I don't stop lazily gliding my fingers over the black tattoo.

"Jay." I say quietly. "I've always liked jay birds." I tell him.

For a moment I don't think he heard me or just didn't like the name and I start wracking my brain for a different name.

"Jay will work." He says and I feel a small sense of triumph build in me.

"What's your name?" He asks.

"Iris Sparrow." I drawl, my mind drifting off into the dark haze of sleep. My hand falls from his collar and the last thing I know is Jay catching my hand as it fell and wrapping his cool fingers around it.

I wake half way through the day with a chill setting in. I blink a few times, panicked to why I couldn't see at all but then remembered the dark room I was staying in with the vam-

With Jay.

The candles must have gone out in the night. Slowly I push myself up off the ground, Jay must have moved me in the night because now I was lying on the ground near the edge of the room. I couldn't believe I had fallen asleep on him, however he didn't seem to have minded so I won't kick up a fuss about it. I was still tired but wanted my scarf and jacket that I had taken off before I climbed the wall. Raising my hands in front of me I feel my way around the room until I find the tunnel that leads up to the hole. I find my jacket and scarf in no time and put them on, savouring their warmth. I creep back down the tunnel and return to the pitch black room, I start to edge my way over it when a hand darts out and wraps around my ankle. I was taken by such a surprise I let off an ear splitting shriek, the noise reverberates off the walls and the room fills with my scream. I'm yanked to the floor and a hand smoothers my mouth in an attempt to shut me up. My scream dies down in my throat and I breathe heavily in shock, my heart thundering in my chest.

"Was that really necessary?" A voice close to my ear asks, it sounded irritated.

"I thought you were dead for the day, you almost scared the life out of me."

"You were going to step on me. What were you doing?"

"Grabbing my scarf and jacket."

He sighs and says, "Just go back to sleep." I presumed this meant I could crawl back to my original corner and sleep peacefully, but no. To ensure that I wouldn't try and step on him again he wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me partially on top of him. My forehead presses against the naked flesh of his chest and I try to supress the blush rising to my cheek. One arm was wrapped tightly around my middle, moulding me against him and the other held my wrist in a steely lock. There was no escape.

Suddenly he asks, "Where do you want to go at nightfall?"

"I'm not sure." I tell him.

"Where were you originally going?" His voice was sounding a little hazy and I could tell he was dying for the day again.

"Umm The Gash. Buts it's not really-"

"We'll go there then." He decided and grips me a little tighter.

"No, I don't think that's such a good idea, where were you heading?" I ask, maybe I could persuade him to go somewhere else. No response.

"Jay?" He doesn't even twitch.

"Jay!" Damn that vampire.

**AN: Yes, his name is Jay. If he'd forgotten his past he was never going to remember his real name. If your angry about this, tough. If you don't mind his name being changed for the moment, then thank you for being open minded. Let me know what you think about the chapter x**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own True Blood. Nor do I own Philippa Head, if you're reading this Phil, cheers for letting me borrow your name.**

The woods which me and Jay had slept in was a fair distance from the The Gash, I warned him that it could take a few nights to get there but he had simply nodded and helped me out of the hole we had slept in. We started off walking through the dense woods but after an hour Jay had become irritated with my human pace and without any warning, he threw me over his shoulder and blurred through the woods.

I cursed him every inhumanly swift step of the way but we arrived at The Gash in less than an hour which made me slightly grateful for his immense speed. However, I decided it was probably best not to let him know how impressed I was, in fear that he would see it as encouragement for him to try it again.

The Gash was a large, abandoned warehouse that stood on the edge of town. The roads around it were bare as the whole place was a criminal hot spot, normal pedestrians never ventured around the old industrial estate that the warehouse resided in. Kids from the streets close to it dared one another to go in to the place but that rarely happened, not after one kid went missing. I had warned Jay that this wasn't the friendliest of places and bad things often happened here. In return he had grinned mischievously at me as if he thought my warning was a challenge.

We stood outside the massive abandoned warehouse that sat in the middle of a neglected industrial estate. The air smelt revolting, the stench of stale piss and cigarette smoke mixed repulsively in the air, it was hideous but the familiarity of it was slightly comforting. Since I left the care home four years ago, this had been a home for me more than once. I look to Jay and nervously bite my lip, this place wasn't the most approachable, nor was it the most savoury of dwellings but I needed to see an old friend.

"This is where you wanted to go?" Jay asks in a tone that I couldn't decipher.

I don't answer him out loud and just nod. Many homeless people chose to return here to shelter from the cold, rain or harsh winds each night, it had sort of became an impromptu community for people sleeping on the street.

Slowly we make our way towards the small doors at the side of the building, some men lingered around the entrance and leered at the sight of me.

"Hey baby, how much to have your pretty little ass for the night?" One man calls and a shiver ran through me. I try not to think how similar he sounded to the group who had attacked me last night and keep on walking straight past them with my head down. Jay also ignores them and walks beside me, keeping close to my side.

"He fucking asked you a question, sugar." One man leered drunkenly whilst putting a heavy arm around my shoulders. I try to push him away but he doesn't let me go, just grips my shoulder s tighter.

"I don't work here, I'm not interested." I hiss out through clenched teeth.

The man laughs harshly, and raises his hand to tightly cup my face. He squeezes my cheeks between his meaty fingers and vilely makes mocking kissy faces at me. "You could make quite a bit, doll."

I hated the sound of his smarmy voice, his vile actions disgusted me and I balled my fist in anger. I was just about to swing my fist at his face when the pressure of his arm on my shoulders suddenly disappears. Jay grabs the front of the man's jacket and effortlessly throws him aside. I watch as his body sails through the air and hit the ground brutally, his body rolls on the broken tarmac a few times before he slumps on his side and groans in pain.

"Shit." One of the other men squeaks as his cigarette falls from his mouth. Jay gives the nasty group a hard stare and they all decide its best to be somewhere far away from the vicious pale boy. I watch as they all scamper off, leaving the man on the ground behind.

Jay turns back to me and assesses me with his eyes.

"Does this often happen here?" He asks with little emotion in his voice.

"More often than not." I admit. He seems to contemplate my words for a moment before his eyes darken.

"Iris Sparrow." His voice is low as he growls out my name, I jump at the sound not expecting him to sound so threatening. "What is this place?"

I deliberate on what to tell him.

This is a place where almost everyone carried a knife, ready to pull it on anyone who tried to steal what little they had. Drug dealers regularly traded in this place, many employed (or forced) homeless people to sell their supply. Other dealers used this place as a source of entertainment, cruelly dangling a broke addict's next fix in front of their face, making them do humiliating acts just for a pinch of the illegal substance. But the trade that was the most abundant in this place was prostitution, desperate women and men sell their bodies to strangers in hopes of gaining money for rent, drugs, alcohol, food – anything. It was only after that business started that they crudely named this abandoned warehouse 'The Gash'.

What happened here wasn't a secret amongst the town, even the police knew about all the illegal happenings but the man who owned it all, the head of the drug trade, brothel and many other illegal trades, had accumulated enough money and power to corrupt the local police force, the deal being if they looked the other way, he would make them wealthy.

I look away from Jay but he catches my chin in a firm grip and raises it up until I'm facing him, his pale grey eyes search mine and I stare it to the depths of them, faintly noting that they had the slightest tint of blue in them.

"Tell me." Jay was looking me dead in the eye as he said this and I funnily felt compelled to tell him everything. The words all spill from my lips and as much as I wanted too, I couldn't seem to stop the endless stream of words flowing from my mouth. I tell him every detail I knew about this place, all the trades, secret workings and the man in charge.

When I'm finished Jays face had a look of controlled anger, his eyebrows were slightly furrowed and his jaw was tense.

"May I remind you that you are mine, blood, mind and _body_.Do not think that I would let others touch you in exchange for something as petty as money." He whispers warningly, it was then I realised he thought I was here to sell myself.

"You only own me for a week, it's none of your business even if I did-." He interrupts me snapping back at him.

"I said I would keep you safe, help you keep your head afloat during difficult times." He tells me with surprising softness. "You don't need to sell yourself."

I give him a small, genuine smile. "I know, I promise I won't even consider it while you're around."

I feel the splatter of a rain drop land on my cheek and I look up towards the black skies, covered in thick grey clouds. Another drop lands on my head heavily and I knew it was going to pour it down any second. Before we get drenched I grab Jays hand and pull him towards the door, he gives little resistance and lets me guide him inside.

We walk into the massive room, the place was filled with the noise of chatter, most of the voices were low and dull but distinctive sounds of laughter or begging stood out amongst the mundane and hushed conversations. The warehouse was one large dark room with hundreds of people stuffed inside, some lay on the floor, covered in blankets whilst others casually chatted to others. The place was clogged with smoke and I placed my scarf over my mouth and nose to keep from coughing.

Towards the back of the room was a series of doors that lead to the adjoining warehouse. I knew that it was behind them doors where all the scary dealing and 'business' happened. I had only been behind one of those doors once, an overly pushy escort had been adamant to show me what was behind the door reserved for the brothel. It was during a flu epidemic and The Gash was low on healthy escorts, the lady had begged me to help, to take some of the work load off her shoulders.

This was nothing new and I had often been asked to join the other escorts in their profession, scantily clad women tried to lure me in with the promise of cash, men looking me up and down and asking my going rate, even the head boss had propositioned me a decent salary if I became one of his personal entourage. I was thin with an attractive body and face, not spoiled by disease or scars. Adding my youth on top of that seemed to entice people more.

I had boorishly been called 'fuckable' more than once.

But after seeing what went on behind the brothel door, I declined each offer.

I feel Jays hand slip from my grip, his fingers easily pulling away from my tight grasp.

Embarrassed, I realised that I had held his hand far longer than necessary.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to…" My voice drifts off as I notice he wasn't standing beside me anymore. I squint my eyes through the smoky fog of the room but I couldn't spot Jay amongst the countless other people. I groan and roll my eyes before deciding that he was a vampire and was more than capable of looking after himself.

I start to head towards the corner that I usually stayed in when I came here. I knew my friend who I had come to visit would be around here as this place was her home. It took a while to reach the corner as I tried to tip toe around people, hoping that no one would take any interest in me.

I walk towards a small group of people gathered around a large can that had a small fire blazing within it. Most of the faces I don't recognise, some had youthful faces, unmarred by the agonizing years of sleeping rough whilst others were covered in filth, bruises and scars, an obvious sign that they didn't have it easy. My eyes drift over the unfamiliar people, the people I do recognise I nod respectfully towards but don't stop to talk. I finally I spot my friend sitting on the outskirts of the group huddled around the warm flames of the trash can. The old lady curled up in the corner spots me looking at her and waves me over. I grin, happy to see a friendly face, and start walking faster, I take in her appearance and notice she doesn't look as healthy as she used too, a ratty blanket was wrapped tightly around her thin frame.

Every time I had been in trouble, money problems or eviction, Philippa Head had always tried her best to help. When she couldn't help me herself she would point me in the direction of somebody who could, without her I would have lived on the street permanently since leaving the care home, selling my body to strangers just for a smidge of food.

"I hoped I would never see your face again, Sparrow." Phillipa's voice had an edge of sadness to it, every time I left this place she always hoped that I would be able to settle in a home that she had helped me find. Every time I did, something always seemed to ruin my small run of luck and bring me straight back here. I didn't deserve her help but she was always adamant that I should come to her if I was in trouble. I hated being a burden on her, but I didn't have many other people that I could turn too.

"Well, you know me, I can't seem to stay out of trouble." I give her a weak smile and she pats the spot next to her.

I sit down on the cold, concrete floor next to Pip. She smiles at me and I gently clasp her shoulder in a friendly gesture, I can feel the bone of her thin shoulder through the layers of clothing and the hallowed look to her cheeks also worries me. Still, her face was as friendly as ever, surrounded by wild grey hair that was tangled and stuck out in all directions. As I sit she passes me a half-eaten tin of noodle soup which I start to spoon franticly into my mouth, the taste was bland and unexciting but I was just happy to have food in my belly. Pip watches me with a small smile gracing her face, I think at one time she couldn't have been an elegant woman but the years of stress and living rough had weathered her face. However, despite her misfortune she always seemed happy with her life.

She anxiously frowns at the sight of my desperate spooning and I force myself to eat slower from the can, I didn't want to worry her. Or throw up what little I had in my stomach.

"Life treating you well?" She asks me, waiting for me to tell her my problem. She knew I wouldn't be here if it was going well, she always says that as much as she likes having me around she would prefer it if I never came back to this place.

"Not really, Pip." I use my nickname for her. "I'm running from something." I tell her in hushed tones, everyone here usually stick to their own business and ignore everyone else's but there was always one rat lurking around, ready to sell out anyone here.

"I'm sorry to hear that, dear." She tells me sincerely and I frown, her voice was croaky and sounded far more fragile than when I had last spoken to her. I absently wondered if she still smoked avidly, any money that she came by she had always spent on cigarettes. If she became ill because of them there was no way I could help her pay hospital fees. That was a luxury that I couldn't give her. I look away from her so she can't see the worry on my face.

I glance over my shoulder and see the usual workings of the room. Most were just quietly talking amongst themselves, some women circled the huge room, asking for any takers and pulling a man behind her, whilst seductively sashaying her hips, when she found someone who could afford her fee.

I look back to Pip as she scoots closer to the fire, trying to warm up her gloved hands. Her gloves have so many holes in that they couldn't possibly be any benefit to her. Luckily I remembered their tatty state from last time I saw her and pull my bag off my back and into my lap. Opening the rusty zip I dig through the contents until I find a pair of virtually new, thick padded gloves.

I see Pip eye them out of the corner of her eye.

"I'll trade you yours for mine." I tell her whilst holding up the gloves, it takes me a while and a whole lot of arguing but eventually she begrudgedly agrees and puts on the far more adequate gloves and I slip her old ratty ones in to my bag.

"Stubborn youth." She mutters under her breath.

"Old hag." I mutter back.

We sit in silence for a long while, my stomach gargles and growls for more food but I try my best to ignore it.

"What happened Sparrow, who are you running from?" Pip asks me so quietly I almost miss her words.

My head spins as my mind surges back to that day two weeks ago.

"Many people." I ambiguously tell her, as much as I wanted to share what happened, I didn't want to drag her into my shit.

"Tell me." She demands a little more forcefully but her voice still held a caring edge.

"I can't." I whisper whilst squeezing my eyes shut. Flashes of that awful day shoot through my mind, people shouting at me, the door being kicked down, a gun pressed to my head. I shudder and move closer to the fire. My throat closes up and tears threaten to fall through my tightly clenched eyes. Pip notices and grabs my hand in a firm grip, pulling me towards her. I let her pull me and she wraps her arms around my body, I hold her back tightly and hide my face in the warm cloth wrapped around her shoulders.

A sob escapes my lips and I can't hold back the tears, I cry as silently as possible. Pip shushes me and hums soothingly, her voice is awful and croaky but I didn't want her to stop. She holds me for a long time, somehow I always felt safe in the frail woman's arms, it was a seriously flawed way of thinking, childish even, but with her there I felt as if nothing could get me.

"Iris Sparrow, you listen to me. In the morning you need to find Rob Redwood. He'll be able to forge you new papers and you'll have a whole new identity, _that_ is what will hide you. When you have them you need to find a place to live. I'll ask around old contacts for you and see if there's anyone willing to let you live under their roof." She whispers all of this in my ear, whilst still clasping me tightly against her. Her voice was filled with determination and held a strength I didn't know the old women had.

I pull back from her and nod whilst drying my eyes on my scarf. "You think I'll be alright?" I ask her and I was ashamed of how my voice cracked. _Get a grip girl_.

Pip places a thumb and forefinger under my chin and lifts my gaze from the ground. "Chin up."

In other words, she had no idea.

We sit in silence for a while, I sit back against the way and watch the flames lick the side of the can and swirl into the air.

"Head down Sparrow, there's a vampire coming this way." Pip hisses at me whilst pulling my hood over my head and wrapping her blanket around the bottom of her face and neck in an effort to conceal us. I peek out of my hood and squint through the smoke to see the familiar bare chest of Jay, after we had woken this evening he had disappeared to wash off the blood and dirt that covered him. I pull my hood away from my eyes and look up at his approaching form, I frown when I see the cautious look on his face, his calm features now looked cold and unforgiving. People moved out of his way, giving him a wide birth as he approached. I eyed the room, most people hadn't noticed the vampire in their midst, idly carrying on with their mundane evening which I was grateful for. However, some people who noticed him eyed the vampire with fear as he passed whilst others, more worryingly, eyed the vampire with lust. It wasn't the sexual lust I was worried about, it was that hungry glint in their eye for something else entirely, his blood.

V had destroyed the lives of many people in this place, it was the most addictive drug that money could buy and I knew that people here were desperate for even a small drop of vampire blood. What if there were drainers here? I was suddenly more worried for Jay then I was about my past catching up with me.

"Jay." I whisper, despite still being a distance away his eyes lock onto mine as if he heard me perfectly. "A man is using an old hoodie for a pillow on the floor next to you, put it on and pull the hood up." He goes to lean down and I suddenly add. "But don't wake him, he'll stab you if he thinks you're trying to rob him." I watch as Jay gently scoops the man's head up and pulls the hoodie from underneath his head expertly. He places the young man's head down again on the floor and he doesn't even stir.

Standing up straight, Jay throws on the hoodie and zips up the front. He doesn't pull the zip all the way up and I could still see the dark tattoo standing out against his pale collar. Throwing the hood up over his head, he looks down and carries on walking towards me, this time blending in better with the people around him.

Jay casually sits next to me, not as close to me as he was last night and I was grateful that he didn't. Pip had grabbed my arm as Jay was approaching, with every step he took towards us her grip had tightened until it had become painfully uncomfortable.

"Don't move. Don't speak. Drawing its attention will land us in all kinds of hell." She hisses quietly in my ear, Jay catches her words and turns to look at her. I notice Pips deeply warn face pale considerably and her eyes widen as she gawps at him in alarm. One hand clutches her throat whilst the other still digs painfully into my arm. She tries to slow back away from him whilst dragging me with her, trying to put some distance in-between us and Jay.

"Pip." I try to catch her attention but she is too preoccupied with trying to back away. "Phillipa, listen to me. This is Jay, he helped me a great deal last night, got me out of some real serious trouble and in return I agreed to be his." Her eyes spring to mine and I can see the look of fear slowly fade away and morph into complete confusion.

"You're… _his_?" She asks.

"Yes, I belong to him." At my words I catch Jays slight satisfied smirk.

"How could you be so stupid? This is a vampire Sparrow, do you know what it means to belong to one?" Philippa asks, her voice low and rough.

"No but-"

"He will take your blood, your body and your life, just like_ they_ took my little Bethany. He is a monster Iris and he will be nothing but a danger to you."

I heard a slight growl come from beside me and quickly glance at Jay, he was staring into the flames of the trash can and his face looked deeply annoyed, his jaw was rigid and his eyes narrowed into hateful slits. I place my hand on his arm and squeeze reassuringly, hoping that I could stop him from doing anything irrational. Philippa notices, her usually cool eyes widen in alarm as she sees the vampires angered face. In a desperate hope to get me away from him she wraps her bony arms around my waist and forcefully drags me away from Jay. I try to calm her down and explain that Jay meant us no harm but nothing got through to her. She was about to pull me to my feet when a small clicking noise stops her.

Like every other homeless person in this place, who had so little to call their own, Jay didn't respond too kindly to having what was _his_ pulled from him. His fangs clicked out in annoyance and I desperately hoped he wouldn't harm Philippa. At human pace, so he wouldn't catch anyone's attention, he leans towards me before I was too far from his reach and grabs my jacket to slide me back towards him. I try to hold my ground and not be pulled about like a child but his strength greatly outweighed mine and he pulls me from Pips grip with ease. Without hesitating, he smoothly plucks me off the ground and drops me in his lap.

He keeps his arms curled around me and he shoots Philippa a glare, she glares back hatefully.

"Do not even think of trying that again." He hisses warningly.

She ignores his comment and fixes her gaze onto me, her eyes were blazing with determination.

"Sparrow, you always said you wanted to repay me for all the help I've given you, well here is your chance. _I want you to run away from this vampire_. That is the only thing I want in return. Keep away from him because that unnatural boy will be the end of you."

My heart pounded wildly in my chest, although he had done nothing to deserve my desertion I couldn't ignore my friends request. I knew how her daughter had been drained and left for dead by a vampire. This brutal attack had left her broken, she lost everything after that. I could see the panic in her eyes for my safety. To her, it must have looked like history was repeating itself.

In a split second, I make up my mind on what to do.

"Mind your own fucking business, hag." I hiss at her and grab my bag, I tug it onto my bag and push myself to my feet. Jay loosens his grip on me and allows me to stand whilst keeping close behind me.

"Dumb slut fangbanger." She hisses her croaky voice laced with pure hatred.

I glare at her and grab Jays hand, he starts to lead the way out of here, quickly winding us through the groups of people. I only had a split second to let Phillipa know that I would repay her for all the help she had given me before I lost sight of her in the crowds and smoke. Turning slightly I see her gaze boring onto my face, desperately searching for a hint of a sign.

I wink.

I see her appreciative smile before I lose her in the crowds. Turning back to Jay, I grip his hand a little tighter and try to keep up with fast pace. I didn't know how I was going to do it but I had to get away from him. I hoped that my rude dismissal of Philippa's request would make him believe I wasn't going to try and run from him, her insult back had helped and I was glad she had caught on so quickly.

We make it to the door and step out into the cold night air, the rain was still pouring from the sky and I could hear it hammering heavily on the pavement. Jay stops us just on the threshold of the door, still under the cover of the building. He releases my hand and turns towards me, I was surprised to see him grinning arrogantly and shoot him a confused look.

A small chuckle escapes his throat and his grin widens. Gently he raises his hands and moves them behind me. I keep still as he takes hold of my hood, that had fallen down earlier, and gently raises it over my head whilst tucking loose strands of hair into it.

When he was satisfied with his work he drops his hands back to his side. That arrogant smirk was still present and I couldn't help curiously wondering what he found so amusing.

Before I can asks he quickly leans in and pecks my forehead with his cold lips.

"Don't even think about it." He says simply and grabs my hands again, pulling me into the rain and leading the way. "I would catch you before you made it out of the woods."

He knew. Damn it.

**AN: Loooooong chapter, I hope you ploughed through it okay and didn't get too bored.**

**I didn't think I would get such positive feedback from Jays name, I'm glad you guys liked it and thought it was a half decent choice. **

**Let me know your thoughts on the chapter x**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: True Blood isn't mine. **

The heavy rain pelted the empty streets. Only the occasional person dashed across its chipped pavements in search for shelter as light thunder rumbles in the distance, I could tell a storm was getting closer and I grimace at the thought of being caught in roaring winds and inevitable stinging hail. With my head down to deflect the rain I walk faster, staring at my sodden boots as the rain beats down on my hooded head. The leather of my boots was old and worn to the point of becoming gaping holes, water leaked through the crappy material and I could feel freezing cold water soak my tatty socks, making a horrid squelching noise every time I took a step. I look enviously at Jay walking casually beside me, unbothered by his bare feet splashing in the freezing water pooling on the ground.

A shaky sigh escapes my chattering teeth and I run my dripping hands across my face, I pull them away and wrinkle my nose in disgust as I see patches of dirt on my hands, smeared from my face, _at least this rains good for one thing._

Despite its one use, I was freezing and just wanted to get out of this miserable rain_._

"Jay, we have to find shelter, just until the rain stops."

At my words Jay stops walking and looks up at the heavy black clouds covering the stars, he ignores the drips of rain that fall on his face and run rivulets down his pale neck, disappearing beneath the collar of his stolen hoodie. I watch him as his gaze moves from the sky to the surrounding area, cool eyes assessing every detail of the old and cracked street.

"It would take too long to find an unoccupied space that is completely light tight. We'll carry on walking until we reach the edge of town." He replies dispassionately and carries on walking forwards.

I stare at him frustrated, I was cold, wet and hungry and walking about in this weather wasn't going to solve any of that. I don't move from my spot and instead cross my arms and stand stock still, I was even tempted to stomp my foot in a true spoilt brat fashion.

"You carry on walking, I'm going to find shelter from this damn rain."

"Do not make me take your bag as hostage again, Sparrow." He calls over his shoulder and my frown deepens. He wouldn't_, would he?_ I groan and grab my bag from my shoulder, also dripping wet from the rain, and clutch it to my chest before jogging a little to catch him up.

He slows his pace to match mine and a glint of amusement flashes in his eye as he sees me childishly clutching my bag to my chest to prevent him from stealing it. We walk in silence for a while, twisting and turning down odd streets that were away from the main road, every time I had come to the Gash I had just followed the main road until I reached the industrial estate but Jay had said that a vampire wondering a main road was too suspicious and people might report seeing him to the police.

My hands were seriously shaking and the cold was making them painful to move, I try to pull my sleeves over my fingers to shelter them slightly but the soaked fabric only makes them colder. To distract myself I push words out of my trembling lips and force myself to start a conversation.

"Has anyone ever recognised you since you lost your memory?" I couldn't stop the stutter that fragmented my words, the cold made my voice jump and jitter up from my throat.

"No." He mutters and carries on walking without sparing me a glance.

I bite my lip and think of another question. "What did you think of my friend Phillipa? She can be pretty eccentric at times but she really is nice."

I get nothing but a cold stare in return.

"So the weather. Pretty grim, huh?" I wanted to kick myself for saying something so dumb and mundane.

The silence after my dull question hangs heavily in the air, my attempts at conversation had drastically crashed and burned and I felt more of a fool than ever. A woman on the street totters around the corner and runs across the road in a pair of ridiculously high heels whilst holding a heavily smeared newspaper over her head.

"I like the rain." I almost trip over in surprise of hearing Jays voice. I look at him confused and he elaborates. "It isn't grim, it's natural and soothing."

He holds out his palm and watches as droplet plop onto his pale hand. The expression on his face was calm and the constant tension that always seemed to harden his eyes softened a small bit. I smiled in response but the thought of standing about in this weather to admire the rain sent shivers down my spine. I grab his hand and pull him in the direction we were walking.

"Come on, if we stand here and stare at the rain all night you'll burn at dawn and I'll catch my death in this wretched cold." He lets me pull him along a bit until we twist around a corner and he suddenly grabs my upper arm, pulling me faster along the street. I force my numb feet to keep up with him but I stumble often on slippery curbs and the slickened pavement, Jay ignores my blunders and swiftly creeps along the darkened streets.

"Jay!" I huff, annoyed that I was being manhandled to keep up with him.

He abruptly stops and quick as a blink, cages me between him and the grubby side-street wall. I breathe heavily with the effort of practically running behind him but my breath catches in my throat as Jay raises his hands, moving them under the dripping material of my hood until he gently clasps my neck. All it would take is a small flick of his wrist and my neck would be snapped. I had never felt more fragile.

It was then I notice the almost feral look in his eye, the slight clench of the muscles on his jaw and his lips turned up in the corners to create a small, excited smirk. The look in his eyes was deadly vicious, a spark that screamed power and _lust_.

"I'm hungry. Now hush." He breathes in his strange accent. He rubs his thumb on a vain in my neck and I realised the lust in his eyes was blood lust. My heart beats erratically, he could drain me right here and no one would know. _Oh God, how could I have been so stupid, trusting a vampire for God sakes!_

His fangs click out and his lips slightly part to reveal two perfectly white and very deadly fangs that loomed dangerously close to my face. They somehow seemed longer this close up, more threatening. I squeeze my eyes shut, too chicken to see watch him sink his fangs into my flesh and drain the very little life I had in me.

Jay fingers glides up my throat and cup the curve of my jaw, he lifts my face up so I'm looking at him and I feel the heavy rain stream onto my face. I open my eyes again, ignoring his face I look up at the stars, wanting the last thing I see to be something pretty. Instead I get thick, dark clouds marring the sky.

A quite chuckle meets my ears before cold, strong lips are pressed to mine. I squeak in surprise and pull back but my skull hits the grimy wall. Jays hands pull me into his body, every inch of my front pressed into his as his lips attacked mine.

Despite my surprise my body instantly responds and kisses him back which gains me a grunt of approval. Absently I hear the clicking of heels but I'm too distracted by my bottom lip being pulled between two cold ones, sharp teeth teasingly prodding the sensitive skin.

Jay snatches my hand, still hanging limp at my side and winds it around his neck. I try to pull it back but he bites my lip in warning, slightly slicing my bottom lip. I wince and keep my hand behind his neck, not wanting him to bite my lips off completely.

The clicking of high heels become louder, I vaguely recognise it to be footsteps approaching and I self-consciously realise that our bodies were inappropriately tangled. I go to pull away again but Jay tightens his grip and just pulls me closer, moulding my body into his. His tongue glides over the sliced flesh caused by his sharp fang, catching the small drop of blood that leaked out of it.

"For fucks sake, it's pissing it down out here and I need to get cleaned up before John comes home and realises I've been with-"

The woman tottering down the alleyway stops and lets out a frustrated huff. I peak over Jays shoulder to see her her bending down to pick up her fallen phone. She stands up straight again, not noticing me and Jay to as she smooth's down her pencil skirt.

Jay pulls his lips away from mine just a fraction and I look up to his stormy bluey grey eyes that still held the bright spark of lust. He grins at me, his lips barely a hairs width away from mine and I catch his subtle glance at the overly dressed-up woman, he winks at me and it was then I realised what Jay had planned to do. He wanted food but he wasn't going to be eating me.

By using me as a way of pretending to be an average horny human teenager, he was tricking the woman in heels into thinking he was a harmless kid and I was pretty sure once she was close enough he was going to sink his teeth into her.

I subtly shake my head at him to tell him 'no' but he ignores it, instead he picks me up at human pace and all but throws me onto the floor in the middle of the side street. I couldn't make a sound as my lungs feel as if they have had all the air stolen from them. I try to push myself up but before I can I'm straddled by a muscled body and my lips are once again attacked by cold ones. His fingers tangle themselves in my hair, preventing me from breaking the link between our mouths to warning the tottering woman to run.

Jay had aimed our seemingly innocent (_well, seemingly more innocent then what he has planned) _escapade to happen right in the woman's path. She totters to a halt in front of us and tuts accusingly.

"Jesus Christ, you would think youth would have more sense than to just make out in the middle of a disgusting alleyway." The woman complains and taps her foot impatiently, the side street was only small and with me and Jay lying across it there was no way she could go around us.

"Excuse me!" She hollers.

Jay stops his assault on my lips and places on last peck on my temple before pulling back. He looks me dead in the eye and I feel instantly transfixed, he mouths the words 'Not a sound from your lips, Iris' before he breaks his gaze and sits back on his heels, turning his head to address the woman.

He smiles charmingly at her, he had hid his lengthen fangs before turning towards her.

"Sorry, we get carried away sometimes." My eyes widen in shock. In one sentence Jay had gone from being a manipulative vampire with the strength of a God to a shy American boy with more horniness then he knew what to do with.

"I don't care, just move out my way. It's raining." The woman irritatedly spits back.

At human pace Jay rises to his feet, keeping one foot either side of my body.

"No."

It was then that Jay made his move. In the blink of an eye his fangs clicked out had the woman pinned to the wall, exactly where we had been just moments before. Her screams are muffled by his hand covering her mouth. She tries to claw at him but he is obviously a lot stronger and considerably more skilled so he's easily able to subdue her. Without pausing he swiftly pulls a scarf away from her neck and bites her vulnerable neck.

I sit up in shock, unsure of what to do. My heart thrummed loudly in my chest and I look around for something to help me stop Jay.

Nothing. The alley way was empty, save for old scraps of newspapers and useless, rusted cans.

I hear a moan and look back at Jay feeding on the helpless woman. She had stopped fighting him and was instead whimpering as he held her close and took gulps of her blood. I try to stand up but I couldn't feel my legs all that well and instantly fall back down again, splashing in a puddle.

I try again and this time manage to stand on two feet safely, I edge my way forwards and place my hands on Jays shoulders. Not pulling or pushing him just firmly resting them there. I eye the woman's face and I could see her turning more and more pale, her eyes were starting to droop and her lips were too relaxed.

"Jay." I breathe out weakly. "Don't kill her."

He grunts in return and pushes my hands off his shoulders before returning to his meal. I instantly put them back on his broad shoulders and this time grip them a little tighter.

"Jay." I say with more force.

This time he removes his fangs from the woman's neck and pulls away. He drops her in the process and she slumps to the ground like a rag doll. I kneel down in front of her and inspect her neck, the small holes in her neck leaked a little blood but not enough to be life threatening. As I go to grab the woman's hand to help her up she lashes out, her perfectly manicured nails swing out to slice my face.

Before she can make contact the back of my coat is pulled harshly and I stumble backwards into Jay's chest.

She screams a loud piercing shriek and throws herself back so she's pressed against the wall. I stare at her in alarm as the women crouches and raise her hands in front of her so her two pointy fingers lap over one another and make a shaky cross.

"Stay away from me you vile demon!" She screeches whilst scrambling to grab her purse.

An arm wraps around my middle and all but drags me away from the woman screaming like a banshee.

My whole body shook violently, the cold had seeped through my sodden flesh and it felt as if icy claws were trying to dig through me to the bone. I more than ached with the cold, I didn't think something as simple as being chilly could hurt so much but the pain of being so cold wracked my entire body and I had to push back the tears forming in my eyes.

It had been a couple of hours since Jay had used his vamp speed to swiftly get us back to the Pit. I had argued with him that attacking that poor woman was wrong but he couldn't seem to understand my argument. He told me that he was a vampire and I shouldn't forget that, his instincts were different to mine and for him, that was natural. I didn't think it could ever be natural to witness something as scary at that.

I had furiously stormed off into a corner and lay down, angrily muttering to myself about damned vampires and their bloody (_literally)_ instincts. My anger had kept my blood boiling but after a while I had cooled off and the chill had set in.

I curl up as small as I can to conserve heat, I smush my hands between my thighs and tuck my feet underneath me but to no avail. My soaking clothes were the main problem but with nothing dry to change into I was stuck shivering until we next left the Pit.

"Iris."

"C-c-close the trap doors y-yourself, Jay." I stutter out through clenched teeth.

I hear a soft chuckle come from him and he places a hand on my shoulder, gently turning my body over until I was facing him. I curl up tighter into a smaller ball, not wanting to talk with the almighty vampire boy. He ignores my hint for him to leave me alone and grabs my hands instead, pulling them from between my thighs and stretching them out in front of me. He feels each finger with great care and I watch as his eyebrows furrow with either concern or annoyance, I couldn't quite tell.

He drops my hands and moves on to my face, fingers gently gliding over my fragile skin, he feels my cheeks, forehead, neck, eye lids, lips, jaw, all with a certain, unreadable look adorning his face. I squirm at his touch, I felt awkward being touched so intimately, it reminded of him kissing me earlier and his hands were not helping the biting chill that had overtaken me.

He frowns and moves a stray strand of hair away from my face.

"Do not leave, I will return shortly." He declares.

He was gone before I could even say a word.

I stare around the dark room, the only source of light was the small beam of my old flashlight and I wasn't certain how long the batteries would last in it. Where would I get new ones from? I certainly couldn't afford to buy any but the prospect of living in constant darkness was disheartening. Jay maybe used to it but I like a little bit of light at least.

I sigh and squeeze my eyes shut, if I could get to sleep then I wouldn't feel the cold as much. Hoping that my little, childhood trick might work I start to sing a song that I had heard a few times on the radio back in the care home. The other kids used to argue and brutally fight over the small, shitty TV we had in the home so I had preferred to listen to the radio instead.

I couldn't get the lyrics to flow from my trembling lips properly so I decide to hum instead. I lull myself into a semi peaceful state, my body still shook but by humming I was able to half ignore it and concentrate on the notes.

"I like to hear you hum."

I squeak in surprise at hearing Jays voice, I roll over and see him standing by the small entrance to the tunnel, a curious bundle of something nestled in his arms. He walks over to me and places the bundle on top of the massacred tree stump.

"I heard you singing in the woods before I was trapped."

My eyes widen. "You did?"

"I was curious to know why a girl was singing in the woods in the middle of the night."

"Oh, I sing or hum to try and get to sleep." I shrug casually, "Sometimes it works and sometimes sleep is just too impossible."

He nods in understanding then walks over to me, he grabs me under my arms and lifts me up so I'm standing on my numb feet. It was difficult but I manage to get my shaky knees to hold me up.

"Take your clothes off."

I gawp at him in shock, he wanted me to strip in front of him? He says nothing further and simply crosses his arms in a commanding stance.

"Pardon?" I ask.

"You will get colder and eventually sick if you stay in those wet clothes. Take them off."

A blush rises to my cheeks, and I see him smirk at the sight of my skin turning red with embarrassment. I can't strip in front of him, what would he think if he saw my skinny mess of a body? But as much as I loathed the thought of getting naked around the vampire boy I knew that if I didn't warm myself up then I would get sick and I couldn't exactly afford medicine.

"Do you have any spare clothes for me to wear?"

He shakes his head and I bite my lip nervously, it would be so awkward to sit around naked for the rest of the night and day.

"I found some blankets in a house nearby, the owner kindly gave them to me." I raise my eyebrows at him, did I seriously believe that he had asked kindly? I shook my head to myself but said nothing.

Instead of arguing I just nod, the prospect of a warm dry blanket excited me a little. "Turn the light off so you can't see me naked."

He rolls his eyes but complies and grabs the torch from its place in a hole in the wall. He flicks the switch off and the place falls into darkness. I quickly wiggle out of my coat and throw my jumper and camisole off. I wasn't wearing a bra as I had traded it with another homeless woman for the coat I was now wore. I throw my boots and sodden socks off and peel my jeans off me, they land with a wet slump on the floor and I was glad to be out of them. Even my knickers were soaked through, I sighed and pulled them off to, glad that it was too dark in here to see. However I was still freezing, the air wasn't exactly warm in the pit and the frigid night air clung to my still damp skin and hair, goosebumps covered my arms and legs and I wrap my arms around my naked form, suddenly feeling very exposed in the darkness.

"Here."

Soft material is draped across my shoulders and I instantly clutch it and pull in tight around me. I almost groan in pleasure as the thick material surrounds me and starts to warm my freezing frame. Another blanket is pulled around me and slowly I start to feel the chill of my body ebb away. My legs are knocked out from underneath me and I'm caught in a strong pair of arms before being lowered to the ground. Another blanket is wrapped tightly around my feet, my toes were the worst affected by the cold and I was grateful for the thoughtfulness.

Like the night before, he leans against the wall, pulling me up next to him. We sit side by side and stare into the darkness.

"How old do you think you are?"

"Vampires become stronger with age, so I think I'm a fairly old vampire but I am honestly not sure."

"Who do you think you were Jay, before you had your memories taken from you?" I ask him gently, I didn't want him to think I was prying but I was genuinely curious.

He doesn't answer straight away and instead I'm left to listen to a steady drip of water falling from the ceiling. The darkness starts to become unbearable and I lean closer to Jay, hiding my face in his shoulder. He doesn't seem to mind and instead of pushing me away he wraps an arm around my heavily wrapped up frame and pulls my closer to him, so one of my legs over laps his.

"A monster." He spits out through clenched teeth.

I sit quietly and contemplate that for a while, Jays whole body had turned rigid at his words and I feared that if I upset him more then he might lash out. An ordinary human lashing out wouldn't scare me but this man-child had the strength to tear me apart, limb from limb, on a simple whim. Best not to anger him.

"What makes you say that?" I sleepily murmur. I must have a death wish.

"Dreams, Sparrow. I think I see flashes of my past in my dreams, not enough to make sense of them but enough that they would scare your fragile little head." He runs his fingers through my wet hair as he says this and I suppress a shudder at his cold and hollow tone.

He carries on running his hand through my hair and I find the action soothing, lulling me into a, perhaps false, sense of security. The comforting darkness of sleep was pulling me under but I'm roused by Jay's hushed voice.

"Will you run from me, Sparrow?"

"I'm not sure." I tell him honestly.

Instead of responding to my answer he asks. "Where's your hand?"

"Under the blankets. Why?"

"Give it to me."

I frown, my fingers were finally starting to thaw out and I didn't want to move my hand out of the delicious warmth of the blankets. "No."

"Give it to me or I will take the blankets away and you will have to sleep cold and naked next to me."

I blush at his words and worm my hand out of the blankets. The chill of the air soon starts surrounding my hand and I grumble angrily.

Cold fingers encircle my wrist in a gentle but inescapable hold.

**AN: Enjoy?**


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